Friday, January 14, 2011

lemons and treats


I love when our lemons are ripe and ready to be picked. We had a bumper crop this year, so many lemons that the branches of our poor tree are sagging to the ground. I will be busy picking, juicing, freezing, and scheming up some sort of lemon treat to bake tomorrow.

You see, another of my resolutions this year is to make a treat actually feel like a treat again. I'm sorry to say that treats had become rather ordinary around our house. They were much too common, too every day. Oliver had come to expect dessert every night, and Stella was requesting candy with breakfast. In short, we were eating far too much sugar than was good for us. Something had to change. So I threw the candy away and now we only bake something yummy to eat on Saturdays. It is something we plan for and look forward to all week. I like that it makes a treat feel special, you know. . . like a treat!

I'm thinking of making this. It's a classic and one of my very favorites.

p.s. I sneak a few chocolate chips here and there. They help take the edge off. :)

21 comments:

  1. This is totally aimed at me, right?? :-)
    I just made lemon meringue pie a couple of days ago. It was good, but would have been better with home grown lemons! :-)

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  2. I've been thinking the same thing... too much sugar. Of course, the holidays didn't help the situation. But now is a good time to turn over a new leaf.

    I tend to go overboard with resolutions and try the cold turkey approach. Which doesn't usually last. Your idea of a treat on the weekends is great!

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  4. Weekend treats are always the best....

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  5. Love the look of lemons-so pretty! Can relate to the treat thing...love something to look forward to

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  6. I so understand the treats...I have a 2 year old girl who thinks she is a chocoholic already!! A saturday planned treat sounds like a great idea!

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  7. great photo and great idea. i applaud you!
    the lemon harvest is one of my most favorite memories from living in arizona - thanks for reminding me of how it felt and smelled.

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  8. This is so smart. I've gone too far the other direction and now we NEVER have treats. And it makes me a little bit sad. I think a Saturday treat sounds perfect.

    Kayla
    Freckles in April

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  9. Ugh. I had to BUY a lemon this week. Now that I know you have too many, I'll be over to get some.

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  10. you make a good point... we eat treats waaay too much.... im about to make some for tonight~
    Maybe I'll have to start a treat rule in my family also!

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  11. I sneak a handful of chocolate chips, the semi sweet nestle kind a few times a week. Yummy cake, I've never baked one from scratch. Maybe I'll try it. But I'm also trying to cut back.

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  12. this is such a great idea...and so important to do while your children are little. that cake looks amazing!!

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  13. sour cream + lemon?! i need to make that.

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  14. I wish I were in warm place where a lemon tree would produce a bumper crop for me!

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  15. Every year I say I'm going to embrace winter, and try to enjoy it and then I end up looking with quiet desperation at things like home grown LEMONS in January and of course, I get filled with envy and dreams of moving across the country! Please make you cake so I can imagine I'm doing the same, instead of entertaining the kids while there is another snow day!
    And I know what you mean about the treats. It's all my fault though.

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  16. Anonymous4:48 AM

    We have treat day on Fridays but usually end up baking on way too many other days too though hmm...
    I love your blog and your photography, especially this picture. I just linked to your blog:-)

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  17. Anonymous4:48 AM

    We have treat day on Fridays but usually end up baking on way too many other days too though hmm...
    I love your blog and your photography, especially this picture. I just linked to your blog:-)

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  18. That's funny. I love making and eating treats too. I could bake everyday, but I keep telling myself that I don't want to do all of the dishes afterwards. That seems to do the trick for me. I do love lemon season though and I have lots of things that I'll probably be making soon.

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  19. you make the best lemon treats!

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  20. We also threw away any candy we could find in the house (except my secret stash of mini Butterfingers) since the kids had begun requesting it far too often. Now their treat is gummy vitamins and I'm trying to cut back on sugar and white flour, which I didn't think I ate too much of until I really looked at it.

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  21. Those lemons are gorgeous!

    Last year, I began making dessert on Sundays only, because each Sunday is like a little Easter. Other nights, dessert is a piece of cut-up fruit, but Sundays are for cookies, cake, a pie...it's become a fun tradition, and something we all look forward to.

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